Inequality in India has now taken form of 'huge social, economic crisis': Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday claimed that inequality in India has now taken the form of a "huge social and economic crisis" and alleged that the lower and middle classes are paying the price for the government's foreign, economic and industrial policies being designed to benefit a few industrialists.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said that just a few days ago, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Narendra Modi government "twisted" World Bank data and made the completely preposterous claim that India had become the fourth most economically equal country in the world.

"All the drumbeaters and cheerleaders started propagating that tremendous economic equality had come in the country. But now that the PIB's claims have been thoroughly discredited, the Government and its cheerleaders must see this latest news," Ramesh said, citing a report by Hurun India.

Just a few days ago, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Modi Government twisted World Bank data and made the completely preposterous claim that India had become the fourth most economically equal country in the world. All the drumbeaters and cheerleaders started… pic.twitter.com/hlgGzY8Ny8

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 13, 2025

Citing the report of Hurun India, Ramesh said India's top five industrial houses have assets equal to about 18 per cent of the country's GDP and the Ambani group alone has wealth equal to 12.7 per cent of GDP.

"The estimated size of the Indian economy is 331 lakh crores, out of which only these five families have assets worth 60 lakh crores. The wealth of the top-5 industrial houses is more than the economy of many small countries," he said, citing the report's findings.

"There should be no surprise in this. For the last 11 years, without taking a holiday, the Prime Minister has been continuously engaged in filling the coffers of some of these industrialists. His foreign policy, economic policy, and industrial policy - all have been directed solely for the benefit of some of these friends," the Congress leader alleged.

But the price of this huge economic inequality is being paid by small and medium industries and the lower and middle classes of India, he said.

"Their pockets are empty, savings are zero, and most of the country's population has nothing left to spend. This inequality has now taken the form of a huge social and economic crisis," Ramesh said.